Learn about Laura Ingalls Wilder's Kane County connection

Presented virtually from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, Barrington's own Patty Dowd Schmitz, along with historic figure actress Laura Keyes and fiddler Mary Pat Kleven, will present music, costumes and stories from the life of "Little House on the Prairie" novelist Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Schmitz will present the little-known history of Wilder's family as original pioneer settlers of Kane County, Illinois, in the 1840s and 1850s (in the South Elgin area near Randall Road); Keyes will portray stories and costumes from Wilder's prairie times; and Kleven will perform fiddle music that Laura's father, Charles Ingalls, would have played during his time as a young boy in Illinois.

A Q&A session will follow the program.

Many "Laura" fans are surprised to learn that Laura's father, Charles Ingalls, came as a boy with his family to Plato and Campton Townships in Kane County, Illinois, in the mid-1840s as some of the first settlers in that region. Schmitz has spent a decade researching this aspect of Laura Ingalls Wilder's history and has uncovered the land that the Ingalls family farmed west of Randall Road near Elgin.

More information and tickets for all events can be found at www.barringtonswhitehouse.com/events.

All fall 2020 events will be held virtually. Tickets are $10 or less and can be purchased at www.barringtonswhitehouse.com/events.

Barrington's White House, 145 W. Main St., is in the heart of downtown Barrington. Cultural programming at the White House is underwritten in part by generous sponsors, including the Willow Springs Charitable Trust, Kim Duchossois, Mary B. Galvin, Wayne and Nan Kocourek, Barrington Bank and Trust, Barrington 220, Mr. and Mrs. Earle Combs, Northern Trust and Quintessential Barrington.

For information, call (224) 512-4066 or visit www.barringtonswhitehouse.com.

• Submit 'Your News' at www.dailyherald.com/share.